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Buzz over choice of flame lighters

SINGAPORE — Reports by The New Paper and Straits Times yesterday that identified football legend Fandi Ahmad and his eldest son Irfan Fandi as strong contenders to light the cauldron at this year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games opening ceremony on June 5 have set the local sports community abuzz.

Fandi Ahmad (centre) at a Lions XII training. Photo: Low Wei Xin

Fandi Ahmad (centre) at a Lions XII training. Photo: Low Wei Xin

SINGAPORE — Reports by The New Paper and Straits Times yesterday that identified football legend Fandi Ahmad and his eldest son Irfan Fandi as strong contenders to light the cauldron at this year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games opening ceremony on June 5 have set the local sports community abuzz.

When approached by TODAY at the Jalan Besar Stadium yesterday, LionsXII coach Fandi was coy about the matter, but Irfan, 17 — part of the national under-23 squad competing at the Games — confirmed the news in a phone interview, but declined to comment further.

While fans will be happy to see Fandi back at the Games, the Singapore SEA Games Organising Committee (SINGSOC) declined to confirm the news when contacted by TODAY. SINGSOC chief of community and corporate outreach Toh Boon Yi called it speculation and said the choice of torchbearers could still be changed. “Such speculation is expected and it’s normal for it to happen at major games. We know people are going to speculate. Plus, it adds to the fun to wonder who the torchbearers will be.

“I’m positive that all this speculation will get people excited about the Games and the ceremony because it invites a lot of discussion, which helps build buzz. While this (issue of torchbearers) is not a state or military secret, I hope those who know will keep it confidential,” he said.

The Games’ opening extravaganza promises to be a party to remember for about 40,000 spectators at the National Stadium, as well as millions in Singapore and around the region who will be catching the spectacle live on their television screens.

The highly anticipated finale will see a torch relay contingent of sporting greats, young athletes, coaches and sports mentors, including Fandi, SEA Games gold medallists K Jayamani (athletics), former swimmer Ang Peng Siong and shuttler Wong Shoon Keat, running into the arena with the Games torch, before the cauldron at the Waterfront Plaza is lit by whom many expect to be the father-and-son pair of Fandi and Irfan.

The identities of the final torchbearer at major games are normally a closely guarded secret. Singapore sprint legend Canagasabai Kunalan, who lit the cauldron at the 1973 SEAP Games opening ceremony, revealed that he did not rehearse for it, while sailor Darren Choy, the final torchbearer for the 2010 Youth Olympic Games, was given an hour’s notice to turn up for practice in the wee hours.

“Luckily, at that time, I played a lot of computer games, so I slept really late,” said Choy, 21. “They (event organisers) called me at 1am to meet at the (Marina Bay) floating platform at 2am. I think it was about two weeks before the opening ceremony.”

Despite SINGSOC’s efforts to keep the identities of its torchbearers under wraps, a number in the group of more than 10 current and former athletes, including inter-generation pairs and families such as Wong and his son Derek, have confirmed their participation in the torch relay.

“I would have preferred that their identities be kept secret, but there will still be anticipation in the whole torch relay and lighting of the cauldron,” said four-time SEAP Games champion Kunalan. “We still don’t know how the cauldron will be lit.”

Ex-national bowler Grace Young, who lit the cauldron in 1993, also said: “With social media in this digital age, I’m not surprised that their identities would be leaked,” she said. “So, the SEA Games organisers might as well be prepared ... hype it up further, and practise the full rehearsal in the open too!”

Local fan Lorinne Kon, who spent S$600 on tickets to the Games, said it would be a dampener, but is confident organisers will pull off a spectacular show on June 5.

“I would actually prefer a build-up on the anticipation of their identities, then people would be on the edge of their seats and see who runs the final lap and light the cauldron,” said the 49-year-old.

“Singapore always does things in a spectacular manner, so I’m confident they can still make that moment very special.”

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